Donovan Johnson who escaped from the Greene County jail in June of 1998 was recaptured in Chicago, Il and brought back to Eutaw, AL on Tuesday May 16, 2017. Johnson was arrested in 1996 and charged with murder and 3 counts of attempted murder and possession of stolen property. At a press conference held at the county jail immediately after Johnson was returned, booked and secured, Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison stated: “This is a great day in Greene County. We can begin to put a close to a case of over 19 years. That means a lot to the family of the victim.” Johnson is charged in the shooting death of Ollie ‘Nuke” Carpenter.
According to Chief Deputy Jeremy Rancher, approximately one week ago, the Greene County Sheriff’s office received an anonymous tip in reference to an individual, Donovan Johnson, who escaped from the Greene County jail (the old facility) two years after his arrest in 1996, while charged with murder, 3 counts of attempted murder, and receiving stolen property 1ST degree.

“Based on the information from this tip, we were able to determine that there was a high probability that this tip was credible,” Rancher stated. Deputy Rancher further explained that during the course of the investigation, the sheriff’s office learned that Donovan Johnson was using an alias name (Philip Thomas) and that he was residing in the Chicago, IL area.
On Friday, May 12 at approximately 3:30 p.m., Donovan Johnson was recaptured in Chicago without incident by members of the United States Marshals – Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force. On Tuesday, May 16, 2017, agents from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Chief Deputy Jeremy Rancher (Greene County Sheriff Department) transported Johnson from Illinois back to Alabama. “This is a prime example of what can be achieved when we all work together as a team. We would like to thank all of the local, state and federal agencies that assisted us with this very important matter,” Rancher said.
Members of the Carpenter family were also present at the press conference on Tuesday. Mrs. Ola Carpenter Ford, sister of Ollie Carpenter, expressed sadness and relief. “ This day re-opens an old wound, but we may be able to feel closure now. My brother, Ollie, was just 29 years old when he was killed. Maybe now he can rest in peace,” she said. Mrs. Peggy Carpenter, sister-in-law of the victim, Ollie Carpenter, and her daughter Katrina Gayles, were also present at the press conference. According to Mrs. Peggy Carpenter, “We waited a very long time for this day. We prayed for this day to come.”
On August 9. 1996, Eric Edwards, Donovan Johnson and Jim Pelt, all of Boligee, AL, were arrested and charged with murder in the shooting death of Ollie “Nuke” Carpenter. Carpenter was killed, Friday, June 28 outside of Johnson Store in the Mt. Hebron community. Three men in the car with him Ernest Daniels, Robert Hood, and Raymond Dancy were injured in the shooting. Allegedly Johnson and Edwards approached the vehicle in which Carpenter and three friends were sitting and opened fire with automatic gun shots and hand gun.
In October, 1996, the Greene County Grand Jury returned indictments for murder and attempted murder against Edwards and Johnson. Edwards was also indicted for carrying a concealed weapon, a 9MM pistol. Johnson was also indicted for receiving stolen property, a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina. Both were held in the county jail under bonds of $450,000 each.
Edwards pleaded guilty to the charge in 1997 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Johnson escaped from the Greene County jail in 1998, two years after his arrest.